A plan for an MTV music festival in Belfast has been scrapped by the city’s councillors.

The council said a decision to axe the autumn event had been taken due to the number of other musical events scheduled for the city in the same period.

Councillors had originally agreed to underwrite the festival by up to £300,000 (€350,468) in the event it made a financial loss.

The festival would have been the latest in a number of high profile MTV events that have entertained music fans in Belfast in recent times.

In 2011, the city hosted the MTV European Music Awards, with top acts including Lady Gaga, Jessie J and Justin Bieber attending.

The following year, chart toppers Olly Murs and Pixie Lott entertained 16,000 at an MTV branded concert in the old slipway where the Titanic was launched.

A spokesman for the council said: “The MTV gig planned for September is not going ahead due to a number of other competing musical events happening during the same month.

“We are continuing to work with the company to identify other future opportunities as well as looking to secure other major events for the city.”